Melissa Saenz Gordon is a cultural worker, photographer, artist, cultural producer, writer, San Francisco native and self described “CivicArt BAE” with a background in geography and urban planning. She is also the co-founder of Soft Power Vote, a voting initiative in New York City that produces voter guides and content that illuminates the connectivity between art, pop-culture, and local politics. Soft Power Vote produces voter guides and online resources for New Yorkers to level up on voting in NYC by demystifying local politics, decoding voting information, and providing the resources necessary to make everyone’s voice heard. SVP was born out of Melissa’s and her co-founders’ frustration with the lack of transparency and resources available to NYC residents to make voting accessible and informed. In this episode, Melissa shares the genesis of Soft Power Vote, Soft Power Vote’s ethos and its criteria for endorsement and what people can expect to find in their Voter Guide. Melissa also shares SVP’s endorsements and recommendations for each race and who they recommend NOT RANKING in this June’s primaries. She also informs us about what other races are on the ballot and import info like what a comptroller actually does. She also shares information about voter rights and accessibility, essential election day info and how the heck Ranked Choice Voting works. Alexis and Melissa also get into conversations about how the media perpetuates the Yang narrative, Beyonce, Lebron James, Cardi B, Tony Soprano’s frustration with Dr. Melfi’s painting and East vs West Coast hip hop.

This is one of two conversations with Melissa, look out for part II later this week!4 In the other part, you will hear Melissa discuss her relationship with New York, what brought her here after 31 years in the Bay Area, what it means to be a cultural worker and how she manages to sustain it, defining our careers for ourselves and the essential connection between art and politics.

Places on the Internet to Learn More:

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  Soft Power Vote website and Instagram and their June 2021 Primary Voter Guide and their Candidate Criteria

  
  
  
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  Ranked Choice Voting Info and where to find your poll site and sample ballot

  
  
  
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  Dianne Morales’ Campaign Woes

  
  
  
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  Rebecca Traister on Maya Wiley and New York Magazine’s feature on Andrew Yang

  
  
  
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  New York Nico interviews the Mayoral Candidates